Types of Soy Products: Soy drinks, Tofu, Tempeh, Miso

Soy milk.

Nutrient-rich soy beverages are made by pressing the extract, or milk, out of presoaked soybeans. Compared with cow’s milk, soy beverages contain:

Less total fat

Less saturated fat

No cholesterol

Three times as much fiber

Ten times as much iron

Ten times as much copper

75 percent less sodium

Twice the niacin

No lactose, which may be an advantage to lactose-intolerant persons

Phytonutrients to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancerThere are some nutrients that are less abundant in soy milk than in cow’s milk. Compared with cow’s milk, soy drinks contain:

20 percent less protein

one-fifth as much vitamin A

one-half as much zinc

No vitamin B12

one-third as much folate

only three percent of the amount of calcium (10 milligrams versus 300 milligrams in an 8-ounce glass)

Soy drinks usually contain a sweetener, such as rice syrup, and may also contain vegetable oils to improve taste. Because of the added oils and sweeteners, current label laws prohibit soy milk from being labeled “milk.” Instead it’s described either as a “drink” or “beverage.” This situation is unlikely to change, since the sweeteners are usually necessary to make soy milk palatable. In the Sears’ family kitchen, we use soy beverage as the liquid in making fruit and yogurt smoothies.

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Tofu.

Tofu is the curd of the soybean protein, similar to the cheese that comes from milk. The processing not only makes the soybean more useful, it makes it more nutritious. The calcium-containing ingredient that coagulates the soy protein into curds results in a cheese- like product that is high in calcium. The terrific thing about tofu is it can be consumed in many ways, such as the following:

Blended into a smoothie

Stir-fried or baked in chunks as a substitute for meat or poultry added to soup or stew

Pureed to make dips and spreads

served raw as tiny cubes in salads

Tofu types.

Firm, or Chinese-style, tofu is more nutrient-dense than soft (or silken) Japanese- style tofu. It’s much higher in protein, calcium, iron, niacin, slightly higher in fats and carbohydrates and much lower in sodium. Firm tofu has the texture of most cheeses-soft like custard or yogurt. Firm tofu gets its texture and its calcium content from the calcium-containing coagulant used to form its more compact cakes. It has a more meaty consistency than the spread- like, more delicate, soft tofu.

FIRM

Meaty consistency

Firm

Higher in protein, calcium, iron, and niacin

Slightly higher in fats and carbohydrates.

Much lower in sodium

More nutrient-dense

Spread-like texture

SOFT

Soft

More delicate

Tofu tips.

Even though firm tofu is much more nutrient-dense than soft tofu, which one you use is a matter of taste. When making the switch to tofu as a substitute for meat and dairy, do it gradually, since to a meat-loving American palate, tofu has a relatively bland taste. After opening the container, you will notice the tofu is packed in water. To preserve its taste and texture, tofu should be kept in the refrigerator submerged in water, and the water should be changed daily. Freezing then thawing tofu gives it a firmer, more meaty texture.Tempeh. This is a mixture of fermented soybeans (by a process similar to fermenting milk into yogurt) and grains, which results in a meatloaf-like product that can be sliced, fried, chopped, and made into burgers. Tempeh is higher in protein than the original soybean and is a lowfat, cholesterol-free alternative to meat. This ancient Indonesian food is also a rich source of fiber, calcium, iron, zinc, B-12, and folate. As an added perk, fermentation increases the bioavailability of isoflavones, the cholesterol-lowering and anti-cancer substances in soy products.

Miso.

This Japanese favorite is made from fermented soybeans and grains and is often prepared as a soup. Miso is similar to tempeh in protein content, yet it is higher than tempeh in calories and fiber. It is a very good source of zinc. Half a cup of miso contains 4.5 milligrams of zinc, nearly one-half to one-third the recommended dietary allowance. Miso’s only nutritional drawback is its high sodium level. One cup of miso can contain as much as 5,000 milligrams of sodium, twice the RDA. Because of its high sodium content, miso is used more as a seasoning than a main dish.

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